Sacramento daily record-union., 1887-08-08
FOLSOM PRISON.
THE DIRECTORS INVESTIGATION
OF THE CHARGES.
The Sensational Reports Regarding
the Branch Prison ut Fol-
sczn Inquired Into.

AS was stated in the RECORD UNION
Saturday, there was meeting of the Board
of Prison Directors at the Branch Prison at
Folsom on that day, for the purpose of in
vestigating the charges against General |
McComb made by Commissioner Filcher. |
The matter, strictly speaking, did not arise |
to the dignity of charges, and Director
Filcher said he made none. However, in |
an interview with an Examiner reporter, |
which was published in that paper, Mr..
Filcher is shown to have made charges |
against the treatment of prisoners at Fol- |
som, which, if true,
WAS THE MOST INHUMAN
That could be thought of. 1t was charged |
that they were locked up in damp, gloomy |
dungeons; they lived in the dark, and |
were not permitted to see the light of day |
that they were covered with vermin; their |
hair was matted they were broken in
health, were driveling idiots, etc. The |
charges being made to a reporter by Di- |
rector, with the evident intention of giving |
it the greatest publicity, caused the Warden |
to at once demand an investigation
The Prison Directors present were Dew
lin, Sonntag, Wilkins and Filcher.
Prior to the meeting, the Directors, ac-
companied by representatives of the
RECORD UNION and Chronicle, made a
thorough examination of the prison cells
which were denominated by the Exoginer
as +" dungeons" The "bastile" proves to
be cells provided the same rs all the others,
furnished iust the same, clean bedding,
plenty of light and air. The Directors
and reporters were locked up in "Smidt's"
CELL the would-be murderer of Warden
| McConrb. For moment it seemed quite
| dark. but after being in there the space of a
| minute our reporter read the telegraphic
news, printed in nonpareil type. on the first
page ef the REcoRD-USIoN, as did others of
theparty. The slit in the iron door of those
cells used for solitary confinement was
closed, but an opening has been made in
| the granite above the door twelve inches in
length by six high, which gives light suf-
| fieient for reading purposes, and gives the
direct lie to the Examiners statement of
Egyptian darkness" The doors have
ventilating holes at the bottom and top,
and the cell a yentilator at the back, which
| gives free circulation. The cells are re-
narkably clean, and all the prisoners in
| terviewed claimed they had sufficient food
and exercise. One prisoner said: ave
are treated well enough by the officers our
trouble is all owing to the fact that we
quarrel among ourselves and lie about
| each other"
| THE INVESTIGATION.
On motion of Director Sonntag in the ab-
sence of President Boges, Director Wilkins
was called to preside.
| Director Devlin explained the muddle
about the date of holding the meeting,
which was greatly misapprehended by the
Directors and the public alike, and favored
| nraoaa6irno With ht,ci
Director Sonntag agreed with the Direc-
tor, but was inclined to go on with the in
vestgatlon of the charges against the man.
agemsnt of the prison. He repeated the
statement that, after the last meeting of
the Board at San Quentin, an article an
peared in San Francisco newspaper pur-
porting to be an interview with a Director
OF the Board, Mr.. Filcher, relating vivid
story OF the charges made against Warden
McComb, made by the inmates of the pris-
on, and alleging inhuman and brutal treat
ment suffered by the conyicts. The Direc-
tor suggested the best way to begin the in.
yeshgation was to hear a statement from
each of the conyicts claiming to have been
injured and brutally treated, and then 10
make personal examinations of the cells
and question each complaining convict.
NO CHARGES MADE.
Director Filcher spoke at length regard
ing the proposed investigation He denied
at the outset that any charges had been
made against the management of the Fol-
som Prison. He made a statement. a plain
unVarnlshed tale, of what he believed to be
the true state of affairs at that institution
at the San Quentin meeting He told the
story which was published as a series of
complaints against Warden McComb He
| insisted that every feature of the manage
ment OF the institution should be the sub
Ject of inquiry. The reporter to whom he
toid the story greatly exaggerated the truth
OF his statements. He proposed to stand
by bis statements and to push the inyesti-
| CATION TO an end.
4 " If the Board finds that there is founda-
tion for these complaints it is its duty,n
continued Mr.. Filcher, 10 provide for the
transfer of these prisoners to San Quentin,
anu provide penalty for the guilty par
| ties"
| ME-. FILCHRR's POSITION
| Director Delvin replied that as he under
stood Mr.. Filcher's position the latter gem
tleman deemed it proper to proceed with
the investigation fully. He himself would
call attention to the fact that the impress
sion had gone abroad among the people of
| the State that Folsom Prison was place
where cruel and inhuman treatment was
| being inflicted upon prisoners The War
| den had demanded thorough investica-
| ton for his own justification, and an inves-
| tigation was due to all sides.
Hon. William A. Wallace ex-Superior
| Judge of Napa county, who appeared as
counsel for General McComb, asked. if not
out of order, permission to inquire of Di.
! rector Filcher what was really the purpose
| of the inquiry. There were no direct
charges, and, to approach the subject in a
legal way, it seemed to him there must be
| n system of charpes or innuirv
DISGDoNGED CHARGES.
Mr.. Filcher replied that since he had been
Director it had been dingdonged into his
| ears that matters were not right al the Fol-
som Prison. He had received by mail
many complaints, and many he had sup
pressed, determined as he was to bring for
ward no charges not based upon reasona-
bic ground. He referred to the political
attitude of the Folsom Prison. He had re-
| ceived notices from w. w. Foote and
| Senator Mailer of FL Dorado drawing at
| tention to the crooked conduct of affairs at
Folsom. He was anxious to know the
true state of affairs at the institution.
Mr.. Devlin, after considerable discussion.
| moved to proceed to an investigation of the
affairs Of the prison, so far as the subject of
solitary confinement and the treatment of
prisoners were concerned. He suggested.
also, in Difference to President Boggs. who
was absent, that the matter of administra-
ton be not Investigated now, but that they
proceed to inquire into the most serious
charge-that in which the public find great
interest, namely, the alleged brutality to
prisoners.
Mr.. Filcher-Does that strike you as fair.
General?
Warden McComb-Certainly
THE COMPLAINTS OF PRISONERS.
The motion of Director Devlin, that the
Investigation into the allegations of bar
barity and cruelty to prisoners be proceeded
With, was carried.
Mr.. Sonntag proposed that the article re-
lating to the complaints of Folsom prison. |
ers be read, Mr.. Devlin suggesting that Mr.. |
Filcher read heiteIn to the Board, pointing |
out the exaggerations said to have been |
made by the reporter in presenting the |
tale.
Mr.. Filcher complied with the request.
and read the sensational article in the Er. |
anii,aer purporting TO be an interview VITA |
him. Each line of reading matter was
commented upon. Some of the comments
were as follows: That is an exaegera-
ton. He must have misunderstood me-
The Chronicle published about what I